1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel agricultural chemical composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Agricultural chemical compositions such as insecticide compositions, bactericide compositions, herbicide compositions, miticide compositions and plant growth regulator compositions have been used in various forms, for example, emulsions, wettable powders, granules, dusts or flowables. In the preparation of these agricultural chemical compositions, various attempts have been made to make good use of the efficacy of the agricultural chemicals, but it has been found to be difficult under current circumstances to further potentiate the agricultural chemicals through formulated contrivances. Further, it is difficult to develop various novel active ingredients for agricultural chemical compositions. Thus it is highly important from an industrial viewpoint to further potentiate the existing agricultural chemicals.
In the field of agricultural chemicals, it has been known that moisture plays an important role in the surface absorption of agricultural chemicals and that the content of retained water is increased by using a humectant. This seemingly suggests that humectants such as glycerol, ethylene glycol and propylene glycol could potentiate agricultural chemicals.
Japanese Patent Publication-A Nos. 146804/1988 (published on Jun. 18, 1988) and 33305/1988 (published on Feb. 13, 1988) disclosed an agricultural chemical composition containing, as a stabilizer, at least one compound selected from the group consisting of glycerol, polyglycerol, ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polyoxyethyleneoxypropylene glycol, polyoxyethyleneoxybutylene glycol and polyoxyethyleneoxypropyleneoxybutylene glycol.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,217 (pulished on Sep. 19, 1989; Eisai Co., Ltd. and Kao Corporation) disclosed a bactericide composition containing an alkylene oxide adduct of a polyfunctional alcohol having tri- or more functional groups.
Japanese Patent Publication-A No. 286608/1990 (published on Nov. 26, 1990) disclosed a bactericide composition containing a (poly)glycerol fatty acid ester.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,942 (pulished on Jun. 20, 1989; Kao Corporation) disclosed an agricultural biocidal composition containing an emulsifier comprising a nonionic surfactant of the formula: R.sup.1 --Y.sup.1 --(R.sup.3 O).sub.n --Y.sup.2 --R.sup.2 (wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each a saturated or ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon group, with the proviso that at least one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 has at least 8 carbon atoms, Y.sup.1 is --COO-- or --O--, Y.sup.2 is --OC-- or represents a direct valence bond between (R.sup.3 O).sub.n and R.sup.2, R.sup.3 is C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkylene, and n is an integer of from 1 to 100).